Company A Platoon Leader 2nd Lt. Chick, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, speaks at Sgt. 1st Class Samuel C. Hairston's memorial Aug. 19, 2014, and told the audience of how he and the rest of their unit liked t...

Company A Platoon Leader 2nd Lt. Chick, 1-504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and the other speakers from Sgt. 1st Class Samuel C. Hairston's memorial say their final words Aug. 19, 2014, after the ceremony at FOB Ghazni. Hairston was killed in action...

The 3d Cavalry Regiment command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Roger Heinze renders honors during Sgt. 1st Class Samuel C. Hairston's memorial service Aug. 19, 2014, at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Afghanistan. Hairston was killed in action in s...

PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Friends and family in Shalimar, Florida, honored Sgt. 1st Class Samuel C. Hairston, during his funeral Aug. 21, 2014.

In Afghanistan, his fellow Soldiers at Forward Operating Base Ghazni paid their respects to Hairston during a memorial, Aug. 19, 2014.

Hairston, who was a platoon sergeant assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, currently attached to 3d Cavalry Regiment, died as a result of small-arms fire during an air assault mission in the vicinity of FOB Ghazni Aug. 12, 2014.

Col. Cameron Cantlon, 3d Cav. Regt. commander, along with the regimental command team flew to FOB Ghazni to pay their respects to Hairston.

"I am grateful to Sgt. 1st Class Hairston for his service to the Army and the 1-504th Parachute Infantry Regiment," said Cantlon. "The 3d Cav. Regt., as a whole, expresses its condolences to the family of this fallen warrior and are sorry for their loss."

During the ceremony, Hairston's Soldiers spoke of how he always brought a positive attitude, even in stressful and dire situations.

Hairston's Platoon Leader, 2nd Lt. Cody Chick, said the Army lost a Soldier who was driven to be the best leader he could and guided his junior enlisted Soldiers to the same. Hairston joined the Army after earning a bachelor's of science degree in economics from the University of Houston where he also played football.

Hairston, grew up in Shalimar, Florida, and was stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. He leaves behind a wife and son.